Is natural skincare better than bottled? Two women give us their verdict

The naturalist: Yami Gautam

Image: Sushant Chhabria

Her alabaster complexion belies Gautam’s battle with sensitive skin since school, when everything from sun exposure to spicy food would trigger angry rashes. Making the move from the hills she calls home to the big city and having to wear makeup daily (a hazard of her job) has compounded the problem, but she’s confident that she’s learnt how to manoeuvre around these and do everything she can to take care of her skin.

Natural selection

“My first lessons were the home remedies I learnt growing up. I’ve seen my mum and grandmother do it,” says Gautam, who almost never uses something from a bottle on her skin.

Clean slate

Her days start and end with a splash of cold water that she dabs dry with a soft muslin cloth, never a towel. “Even at the end of a tiring shoot, I’ll always make sure that all traces of makeup are removed,” she says. “It’s almost a reflex action now. It’s as basic as brushing my teeth.”

Acid test

A strong proponent of building beauty from the inside out, she strives to keep her digestive system in an alkaline state. Lots of fruit and chia seed water in her diet help counter any acidity.

Kitchen garden

“Because I have sensitive skin, I don’t have the luxury of going for facials. Instead, I put on some music, make my own face packs and apply them wherever I am.” This includes hotels, where she’s known to ask room service for honey, yoghurt and lemon to make an on-the-go face pack. Ubtan, sandalwood and fuller’s earth make frequent appearances in her custom blends. “Apart from that, raw milk is amazing if you have dry skin,” she adds, “I think honey is a great natural moisturiser, and yoghurt has cooling properties and is a great binding agent.” For tired eyes, she uses grated cucumber to refresh them. “Or sometimes I freeze coconut water or cucumber juice and rub it around the eyes.”

Slick thinking

Gautam usually turns to coconut and almond oils every night, when she feels her skin needs a heavy dose of moisture. But there’s one additional (and unusual) oil she swears by. “Everyone will hate me for this, but mustard oil is actually very good for your skin,” she says sheepishly. Though her matriarchs have expounded on its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, “it’s also called anti-people because it really stinks,” she laughs.

The lab geek: Shagun Khanna

Image: Deepti Hiranandani

Khanna, a wellness, beauty and lifestyle blogger, is a self-taught skincare enthusiast. “I have a genuine passion for skincare,” she says, and has spent years educating herself, pressing dermatologists and London’s pharmacists for detailed explanations on the finer workings of skincare products.

It was smooth skin sailing till she hit her early twenties, when she first had to deal with acne and breakouts. During her first pregnancy, she found out she had PCOS. “This meant I had a hormonal imbalance that made my skin fluctuate,” she recalls. Then, in her thirties, her skin changed personality again, turning dry and sensitive.

Switch it up

For maximum efficacy, Khanna says she changes her regime and routine seasonally. “In summers, I don’t use high-strength actives like strong retinols and acids,” she explains, “I switch between 30 and 50 SPF and use a lighter moisturiser like Yu Reverzo Stem Cell Innovation Regeneration Cream because it’s non-greasy and lightweight with potent ingredients.”

Active duty

“I love studying the key ingredients in products and that’s mostly how I choose my skincare. I focus on products to rejuvenate cells and boost collagen,” Khanna says. She keeps an eye out for ingredients like retinol, Vitamin C and glycolic acid. “I make sure they are of the right strength and go for products by doctors and pharma brands like Skinceuticals, ZO Skin Health, Peter Thomas Roth and Dr Dennis Gross,” she adds.

Her weekends are always about self-pampering. “I gently exfoliate my skin first with Exfoliating Polish Face Scrub for Clear Skin by ZO Skin Health to remove impurities without drying it up. After that I apply my 111SKIN Bio Cellulose Facial Treatment Mask, infused with potent antioxidants to instantly brighten and moisturise my skin.”

Intensive care

When surprised by breakouts she turns to Aknetrol Acne Treatment + Benzoyl Peroxide 10% by ZO Skin Health for an emergency fix. Also on her calendar are appointments for a hydra-facial at Beyond MediSpa Harvey Nichols once a month, and microneedling at the Omniya Clinic, Knightsbridge, London, every eight weeks.